


A Very Western SPN

by Sweetie_T



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Baby is a horse, Building log cabins, F/M, Jess is a horse, Lisa is a horse, Old West, Pre-Romance, Rated T for blood and stuff, The Colt - Freeform, The Family Business, Werewolves, casefic, hunting things, not in a mean way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-04-15 03:05:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14150559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetie_T/pseuds/Sweetie_T
Summary: Set in the old west, you meet Sam and Dean.





	1. Chapter 1

"Poor girl is clean out of options. She's a tough one, though. Started building on the land all by her lonesome. Sure could use a man."

Sam smirked softly. He knew Ellen well enough to know when she was trying to be overheard. Bobby, to his credit, only glanced at Sam about half again as much as he usually would. Being the sole customer, he knew the couple’s one-sided conversation was for his benefit.

Sam finished making his selections and headed to the front of the general store, placing the salt, flour, nails and a few other supplies on the counter to get rung up.

Bobby busied himself at the register and Ellen pinned Sam with a calculating look. "Don't know if you heard, but you've got a new neighbor on the plot to the east of your land."

"Oh?" Sam pretended he didn't know what she was getting at, content to watch Bobby calculate his purchases and wait for Ellen come straight out with it.

"A girl. The land belonged to her parents back before your daddy was killed. Was supposed to be married last week, but the coach never showed."

"That's a shame." Sam answered, keeping his statements purposely short. He could almost see the steam beginning to come out of Ellen's ears as she became more and more frustrated with his lack of decent curiosity.

"She’s trying to build a homestead all on her own. Ain’t doing a bad job, if you ask me. Plum shame she won’t make it.”

“What do you mean?” Sam’s interest was finally piqued despite himself.

“Winter will be here before she gets that cabin half built. She’ll freeze or starve or both. She’s a strong one. Spirited and hard working, but even she can't stop the snow. It’s just a shame is all.”

Bobby finished ringing Sam up. “What my dear Ellen is trying to say without saying is this girl would make you a good wife. She’s tough as nails and if you married her it would give you more acreage. Plus you’d be saving her hide.”

Ellen pursed her lips at Bobby, but he just winked at her and she softened a bit.

Sam cleared his throat and gathered his supplies, suddenly quite uncomfortable. “Thank you for the provisions. And the information.” He tipped his hat to Ellen and nodded to Bobby, taking his leave as swift as he could.

——

"So she's working the land to the east?" Dean asked, brushing down his sleek black horse.

"Yep. There’s talk all over town about her. Apparently she was born here but her parents moved her to the city when she was a baby. She got engaged to a man from a few towns over, they decided to come here and work the land her folks left her but the coach never arrived."

"That's too bad. Maybe we should go introduce ourselves."

"Maybe. Ellen thinks I should marry her. Add her land to ours." Sam said uncomfortably.

"Why you? Why not me?"

"I don't know, Dean. Probably because it was my turn to go for supplies and I happened to be there when Ellen got that bee in her britches."

"So let's go pay her a visit."

"Now?"

"Sure. Baby's rested and I just picked a whole mess of apples. You could arrange them in a basket. Make it all pretty. Maybe she’d even bake us a pie if we ask real nice.”

Sam rolled his eyes at Dean but he did end up getting the basket of apples ready and lashed to the saddle of his horse, Jess. He and Dean rode east to meet this mystery woman.

——

You were chopping wood when two large men on much larger horses seemed to appear from nowhere. You wiped the sweat from your brow and hefted the axe on one shoulder, comforted by its weighty and sharp presence.

They brought their horses to a halt far too close for your comfort and tipped their hats.

“Howdy, Ma’am.” The one on the black horse spoke first. “Name’s Dean Winchester. This here’s my brother, Sam. We have the land to the west of here, thought we’d be neighborly and come introduce ourselves proper.”

“Y/N...” You said by way of introduction, still unsure of their intentions.

The one on the blonde horse seemed to sense your apprehension and he hopped down from his saddle, patting his mare’s neck. “I give you my word we’re not here to hurt you. I overheard Ellen and Bobby saying how you came to be here and we just wanted to come by and see if you needed anything.” He slipped a basket off his horse’s saddle and offered it to you. It was full of plump, ripe apples and it took all you had not to devour them right then and there. You hadn’t eaten much at all since arriving on your godforsaken land.

“This is very kind of you, gentlemen. Thank you, but I’m doing just fine.” You lied. You were doing anything but fine. You had a tiny cabin half built and some hard bread left over from your coach ride, but every penny you had ever saved had gone into getting you here from the city, buying tools to work the land, and the rest was in a purse wherever your would-be husband was now. You were cold and hungry. You had no prospects besides working as a tavern girl come winter. You couldn’t afford seeds to grow crops or even a few chickens to lay eggs. Your land was barren save for some scrub and scraggly trees so there were no rabbits or fowl to trap. There was a near-dry stream that ran through your property but you had tried to fetch water from it and came out with a bucket of mud for your troubles.

And the worst part, the very worst... was come nightfall. Something was watching you, waiting just outside your firelight. Stalking in circles. Sometimes you could see its blue glowing eyes. They were familiar and alien all at once and they made you tremble. You were so scared you hadn’t slept in days.

The one called Sam seemed to see right through your facade, but he was kind enough not to call it out plain.

“Why don’t you come have supper with us? Dean’s not a bad cook, if you don’t mind your food a little greasy.”

“My food is excellent, and we have plenty. We’d be much obliged if you could find it in you to grace us with your company.” Dean piped up, laying it on thick.

You opened your mouth to argue, to say something that would make them leave you in peace. But that’s not what came out.

“I would love to.” You blinked a few times, wondering where those words came from. Your stomach provided the answer in the form of an embarrassingly loud growl.

Sam, to his credit, pretended not to notice. “Do you have a horse?” He asked kindly.

“No. I was going to get one when I got to town but my fiancée has all our money and he never showed up.” You blinked a time or two more, surprised you were being so open with these men.

“You’ll ride Jess, then. She’s sweet and gentle.” Sam helped you onto his horse and took her reins, leading you and Dean back to their homestead.

——

You ate hot rabbit stew and warm, soft bread until you were near to bursting, all the while being regaled by the boys’ stories of pranks they pulled on each other when they were younger. (“Not that much younger, actually.” Sam clarified.)

“I cant believe you put pitch on his saddle!” You said when you caught your breath. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d laughed so hard.

“Hey, he deserved it.” Dean defended himself. “He hid my boots up a tree.”

“He’s right, it was kind of cruel. Dean’s terrified of heights.” Sam chimed in, earning a near-scandalized glare from his big brother.

You glanced out the window and cringed when you saw how close to sunset it was. “I should make my way back. Get my fire lit before full dark.”

“Don’t be silly. You can stay here.” Dean said. “You can have my bed, I’ll sleep in the barn with Baby.”

You argued the point, but Dean assured you he’d be perfectly comfortable and Sam made a crack about Dean sometimes sleeping in the barn with Baby just because he felt like it to which Dean defended that thunderstorms give his Baby nightmares.

When all was said and done you ended up on Dean’s straw cot and he ended up cuddled up to his horse in the barn. The boys’ cabin was comfortable but small and you could hear Sam’s breathing on his side of the canvas partition that separated his bed from his brother’s.

“Sam...” You said quiet, not wanting to wake him if he was sleeping.

“Yeah, Y/N?” He replied, just as quiet as you.

You opened your mouth, all set to tell him about the creature that had been stalking you from the shadows at night, but you just couldn’t get the words out. “Thanks for your hospitality. It means a might more than I let on.”

You could hear the soft smile in his voice. “It was our pleasure, Y/N. Any time. I mean that... Especially if you know how to bake pie. Dean will love you forever.”

You laughed. “I have been known to make delicious pies.”

He chuckled softly. “Dean will think he’s died and gone to heaven.”

You lapsed into a comfortable silence.

“Well, thank you again. Goodnight, Sam.” You whispered.

“Night, Y/N.” He whispered back.

——

You woke to a loud thump and for a second you couldn’t fathom where you were. You weren’t freezing cold and starving on the hard dirt ground. You were warm and full and comfortable. Before you could fully recall the details the thump sounded again. Something was outside and banging on the walls. Something massive and strong.

You remembered Sam and called out to him gently, not wanting to startle him if he were sleeping. “Sam?”

The canvas partition lifted and he was standing, awake and already in his boots with a shotgun in his hands. “Oh, good. You’re awake.” He offered you the gun and you took it. “Do you know how to... I mean, I heard you were raised in the city...” You cracked open the gun and checked the rounds before slamming it shut and pumping one into the chamber.

“I’m good... Sam, there’s something I should have told you. I just didn’t think it would find me here is all...” And then you remembered Dean and your blood ran cold. “Dean...”

Sam put a hand on your shoulder, the hand that wasn’t holding a shiny colt gun. “He’s fine. He knows what he’s doing.”

“But Sam, you don’t understand. It’s not a mountain lion or a bear. It’s something else. Something different. It’s been watching me at night but it never gets too close to the fire. Its eyes are always there.”

“It’s a monster, Y/N. Dean knows what he’s doing. This is... this is kind of our job.”

“A monster...” You had strong suspected, but to hear it outright was a shock.

A gun shot sounded from the direction of the barn and Sam looked into your eyes. “Keep it together. You don’t have to go out there. Just stay here and stay safe.”

You stood, determined. “No way in hades, Winchester. It’s my fault it came here, I’m helping take it down.”

He gave you a look of respect and nodded. “Follow me.”

You both ran out the front door and stayed close to the side of the house, trying to stay in the shadows until you could tell what was going on.

There was a figure in the darkness near the barn and it was getting bigger, coming closer and closer...

“You got the colt, Sammy? Salt shot just slowed it down.” Dean’s voice came from the man-shaped shadow in a husky whisper. You and Sam both took a relieved breath.

“Yeah, I got it.” Sam said. “Where is it?”

“Barn. Took a chunk out of its hind leg. Biggest wolf I’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t act like a wolf. It... uh...” He glanced at you.

“It’s a monster.” You provided.

His brow wrinkled in confusion but he nodded slowly. “Uh... yeah. A Skinwalker best as I can tell.”

“Stay here with her. I’ll take care of it.” Sam said.

You protested and started after him but Dean grabbed your arm. “He’s got this. The thing was barely moving when I left it.He’ll be just fine.”

You nodded, though you didn’t like it. You both waited for what seemed like forever and when the shot finally came you swear you could feel it like a stab to your heart.

Sam came out of the barn looking drained. Dean began to make a fuss, thinking Sam was hurt, Sam waved his brother off and came straight to you.

“Y/N...” He cleared his throat but couldn’t seem to find the right words. So he handed you something, dropped it into your open palm. You brought it to your eyes and saw... Your fiancee’s ring. The one he always wore, ever since you met him. A wolf crest on a thick gold band. Sam took the gun from your other hand and pressed something else into your fist. It was heavy. You glanced down and saw the purse that contained yours and your fiancee’s entire life savings in gold coins. You looked at Sam, whose eyes were gentle and sympathetic.

“He shifted back to human, asked me to make sure you got this stuff. He said he was sorry, that he loved you. The coach was attacked and he was changed...” He looked down at his boots. “Shifters eat hearts... he begged me to... to shoot.”

You put your arms around Sam’s neck and hugged him tight, knowing what he did couldn’t have been easy and it had to be killing him inside. “Thank you.” You whispered.

——

Come winter you had your cabin built, food stocked up, plans for crops for the next year, a couple of hired hands to help you work your land, a beautiful mare named Lisa and a trunk full of salt shells, silver blades, a couple of shotguns and a few journals crammed with all the lore the boys had been teaching you.

You had just got back home from a Wendigo hunt in which you saved both the Winchester boys’ hides. Tomorrow you had target practice with Bobby and tea with Ellen. And this weekend Dean was bringing you some canned berries he had picked last season and you were going to show him how to make your famous pie.

You wore your fiancee’s ring on a chain around your neck. And despite Sam insisting he shot him dead and burying your fiancee’s body all by his lonesome, come nightfall you could almost always count on a pair of glowing blue eyes watching you from outside your cabin windows.

And even though you now knew for a fact monsters were alive and real, for the first time in your life... you were no longer afraid.


	2. Were the Wild Things Are...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adventures with werewolves!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Casefic, some possible romance setup. I’ve been ignoring my other fics to work on this one. I do what I want! ❤️

“It just ain’t proper, Y/N. You’re a strong young woman, you shouldn’t be tending that land all by your lonesome. ‘Specially not with your pick of two fine young men within spitting distance of your property line.”

You smirked softly at Ellen. She loved nothing more than to offer her opinion. Wether bidden or not. But you knew her heart was in the right place, she cared for you like your own mama did before she passed on. She winked at you and fed an apple to your horse Lisa.

You flicked your wrist and the knife bit deep into the knot on the stump, just where you had been aiming.

“Nice hit, Kid!” Bobby praised you as he took his turn, putting a bullet from his handgun clean through the apple Ellen had just thrown high in the air for him.

“You too, Bobby!” You had originally tried addressing him as Mr. Singer and that had gone over like a lead balloon. “Just Bobby, Kid” was like a second father to you, teaching you all he knew about lore and weapons, spells and patching up folk.

Just as you were about to take your few last throws before packing it in, the thunder of hooves and the restless whinny of your horse alerted you to the approach of the brothers Winchester.

They stopped with a billow of dust right in front of you, tipping their hats to you and Ellen and turning urgently to Bobby.

“Can we talk to you alone for a sec?” Dean asked.

Ellen stepped between the brothers and her husband. “Anything you got to say to him you can say to me.” The brothers kept their tongues for several tense moments. “You want him to go on a hunt, is that it?” She hollered. Bobby was retired after one too many close-calls for Ellen’s comfort. It made her a might protective.

Bobby placed a hand on Ellen’s arm, temporarily pausing her escalating tirade. “Lets hear them out, Darlin’. Maybe they’re just looking for some advice.”

Sam hopped down from Jess, scratching her neck absently as he began.

“There’s been reports of some killings next town over. It started out with livestock being found minus their hearts, but we just got word it’s moved on to farm hands.”

Dean slid down from Baby and she nuzzled his shoulder affectionately. He swiped an apple from Ellen’s basket and fed it to his black mare. “And the bodies are only being discovered around the full moon.”

“Weres?” Ellen asked.

“That’s what we’re thinking.” Sam said.

“Well, hell.” Bobby scoffed lightly. “You boys don’t want me for this one, you want Y/N.”

You looked at Bobby sharply, wondering what on earth would make you more qualified to go after weres than the man who taught you damn near everything you knew.

“You boys ever seen this girl throw a knife?” He gave a smug little grin, relishing his pride in your skill.

You blushed slightly at his praise, but since he was right you didn’t bother arguing.

Before the guys could give you matching skeptical looks you flicked your wrist and buried another knife into the post of the nearby fence, followed by a second and a third, all in a tight cluster. You crossed your arms and glanced at the brothers. Dean snapped his gaping mouth closed and Sam nodded at you.

“Get your gear. Let’s ride.”

 

As you headed out of town the brothers gave you more details. The killings had started three months back. At first it was one head of cattle. The next month two. And a couple weeks back it was two hired hands on a ranch.

Almost definitely a were, and possibly more than one.

When Dean excused himself to duck behind a tree and do his business Sam turned to you.

“Y/N... I have to ask... and I didn’t want to ask in front of Dean...”

You looked at him quizzically. “Out with it, Winchester.”

“Your fiancé..”

Your hand went to the heavy ring you wore on a chain round your neck and you swallowed hard. Of course Sam knew, how could he not? He was the one who pretended to kill and bury your betrothed after all.

“What about him?” You asked cautiously.

“When’s the last time you’ve seen him?” He asked, voice low.

Come to think of it, you hadn’t seen your blue-eyed protector in almost a month.

Before you could answer, though, Dean was back and the three of you continued your ride.

 

After a day’s traveling with a few short breaks you came upon a secluded, broken down cabin. It looked like it had been abandoned for ages.

“Gentlemen... why are we here?” You asked.

Dean grinned. “We need a tracker. Cas is the best there is.”

“You mean someone lives here?” You cut off your own thoughts with a short cry of surprise. A small muddy hill to your left suddenly shifted and became a half-creature half-man and began to lope toward you. Sam’s hand on your own stopped you from letting your knife fly at the thing, and it was then you noticed Dean hopping off Baby and embracing the lurking form.

“Cas! How have you been? Gotta be honest, you’ve definitely smelled better.”

A bright smile broke the faceless muck on the front of the shape and you realized it was a man. A mountain man.

Sam greeted him politely and hopped off Jess, offering you a hand off of Lisa. You didn’t strictly need it, but it was considerate of Sam to offer. You took his hand and slid off your horse.

You all went inside and Cas cleaned himself up, such as it was. He wiped some of the grime from his face and stripped off his filthy fur overcoat, hanging it up and slapping it a few times to shake off most of the dried mud.

Dean filled him in on the particulars and Cas sat in a rickety chair, contemplating his mug of moonshine. You balanced on your own precarious seat, glanced down at your mug and grimaced, the smell of turpentine strong. You noticed the brothers didn’t touch theirs either.

“It is strange...” Cas began. “I believed the Skinwalker had been keeping the weres and other monsters in check. I wonder what’s happened to him.”

You and Sam went very still while a look of confusion crossed Dean’s face. “We killed the only walker around.”

Cas, to his credit, noticed the tension emanating from you and the younger Winchester. “Oh... I must have been mistaken. At any rate...” He drained his mug with one swallow. “Let’s go pay a visit to the weres.”

 

You left your horses in a paddock at Cas’ place. He said the path to the weres was no place for a horse, and he was right. It was narrow, overgrown, and at one point you had to balance your way across a half-rotted log to get past a swamp writhing with snakes.

It was a good thing you trusted Dean and Sam because you had half a mind to write Cas off as a crack pot and head on back. But the boys followed him with absolute faith. And over months of hunting together you had learned it was in your best interests to have faith in them.

You made camp and Cas fed you something that looked suspiciously like skinned and roasted squirrel. It wasn’t half bad, though, whatever it was. You took first watch and, when Sam relieved you, slept hard until dawn.

In the morning Cas provided everyone with hard tack and jerky and you kept hiking. There was no trail at all you could discern, and you were no novice to tracking, but Cas moved with the confidence of a man strolling down a city street.

Finally he stopped a couple hundred feet away from a nondescript rock formation set right up against the side of a cliff.

“We’re here.” He said quietly. “Y/N should go first, they will find a female less threatening.”

“No way in hell.” Dean growled menacingly. Cas glanced at him.

“I believe you have just illustrated my point.”

You took a deep breath, ignored the men’s continued bickering and strolled up to the concealed cave entrance.

“Hello?” You called softly, and there was no answer. You were just about to turn back when a strong arm snapped out of the cave opening and dragged you inside.

You were vaguely aware of a commotion outside the cave, but your more pressing concern was the massive, enraged male were that had you pinned against the cold stone wall.

“Talk. Now. Why are you here?” He growled viciously, inches from your face.

“We’re investigating some recent deaths. Started as cattle and moved to farm hands. Wanted to come see if you all knew something about that. We don’t want no trouble, but my friends outside are a might protective and for all they know you’re ripping my throat out as we speak. Might want to let them know that ain’t the case.” You spoke as fast as you could. He visibly relaxed as you went on, and when you stopped for a breath he pushed you out the cave entrance and straight into Dean’s arms and the barrel of the Colt in Sam’s grip.

“I’m fine. I’m fine, they thought we might be here to start trouble. I told them what we’re looking for.”

The guys focused on something behind you and you knew the guard had followed you out. His deep voice behind you proved you right.

“Come inside. Our King will want to speak to you. You are in no danger unless you instigate it, you have my word.”

You reluctantly pulled free of Dean’s warm, protective embrace and turned. Cas came out of the bushes, brushing himself off as if recovering from a scuffle. “Nicodemus.” He greeted the were.

The guard nodded at him. “Castiel. It’s been too long.” He said, before turning and leading your small group deep into the were caves.

 

The den was surprisingly more comfortable than you would have imagined. Warm flickering lights chased away the chill and the darkness and the rooms were furnished with comfy looking sofas, tables, chairs and thick luxurious rugs.

The guard led you through a twisting maze of tunnels that left you dizzy and disoriented, but one look at Cas and you knew he could retrace every step with his eyes closed.

You eventually came to a stop before a set of heavy, elaborately carved double doors, the only doors you had seen in the caves thus far. They were bracketed by two more were guards, and with one gesture from your escort they were sweeping the doors aside and waving you in.

Inside was an honest to goodness throne room, complete with two imposing golden thrones, one occupied by a lovely young woman. The other by the most massively muscled man you had ever seen... the pack King.

He nodded once in acknowledgement to Cas, obviously previously acquainted with him. “I know why you have come.” His voice was so deep it made your insides tremble. “We are aware of the killings.”

He sat up from his lounging position, expansive forearms on his knees, piercing eyes fixing on all of you in turn. “Let me make this quite plain...” His voice boomed and rang off the rock walls. The female in the throne bowed her head. The few weres keeping audience cowered and scraped. Your little group stood, undeterred.

“We are a pack of hunters. Warriors. We eat only what we can kill in a fair fight. It is strictly forbidden to prey upon the hobbled suckling pigs known as humans.”

“No offense intended, I’m sure.” Dean muttered under his breath. The King glanced at him for a moment, contemplating squashing him like a bug, no doubt, before dismissing the elder Winchester as altogether irrelevant and continuing.

“That being said... my pack is not responsible for these killings.” He held up a hand to forestall Sam’s forthcoming question. “I know this... because we have apprehended the true killer.”

“If it wasn’t one of you... who was it?” Sam asked after a deafening silence.

The King gestured to Nicodemus who was still behind you. He stepped up, bowed to his King, and spoke.

“It was last full moon. We were hunting when we caught the scent of human blood. We came upon a clearing and two of our young male weres had the skinwalker between them. His hands were covered in blood, the men lay dead at his feet.”

“A skinwalker...” You breathed.

Sam shuffled uncomfortably. Cas stood nonplussed. And Dean looked confused and a little angry.

“A male? Wolf? Blue eyes...?” Your voice trailed off as you asked your questions, your throat squeezing tight with dread.

The guard answered you after a slight nod from his King. “Yes.”

You felt your knees threaten to give but Dean’s strong arm was there to keep you standing.

“What’s happened to him?” Sam asked gently.

The King replied. “We are not barbarians. The full moon is nearly upon us again. We will keep him confined in case he tries again to frame us for murder. If he is not the guilty one, that means someone else is responsible. Someone who will kill again. If he is guilty, there will be no killing. And he will be humanely executed.”

You slowly stood strong again, rage stiffening your spine. “So either way an innocent dies. A ‘hobbled suckling pig’ or the skinwalker.” You near-shouted at the King.

Instead of shouting back at you, he became eerily still. “Watch your tongue, female or I will chew it from your mouth.”

You felt more than saw the brothers stiffen beside you. Castiel finally spoke up.

“She meant no disrespect, your highness. The skinwalker is her mate.”

You felt the eye of every were turn to you, and the female perched on the throne sat up a bit taller and gave you an appraising look.

The King bowed his head to you. “I was not aware. Forgive me for speaking so callously in regards to your mate. If I may reassure you, he has not been mistreated in any way while in our custody.”

“I want to see him.” You demanded softly.

“Of course. I will have Nicodemus escort you at once.” Nico stepped toward you.

“If I may, my King...” The female in the throne interrupted. The King’s countenance softened considerably as he turned to her. “I should very much like to escort her to see her mate.”

The King nodded graciously to her, took her hand and kissed it, muttered something under his breath. He didn’t take his eyes off of her when he addressed you.

“My Queen will take you to see your skinwalker.”

 

The men stayed in the throne room. Cas busied himself by lightheartedly negotiating with the King about hunting rights and territory.

The queen walked you down yet more labyrinthine hallways, including down a few flights of stairs. You walked in awkward quiet beside her, your stomach twisted at the thought of your fiancé locked away for something he, you would be willing to stake your life on, did not do.

“Thank you for escorting me, your highness.” You finally broke the tense silence.

It was as if your words had broken a dam inside her. She stopped cold, turned to you, and began sobbing her heart out. It took you a stunned moment to react.

“Your highness... if I’ve done something...”

She shook her head vehemently. “It’s not you, dear one. You’ve done nothing. And, I dread, neither has your mate.” Her weeping redoubled.

You faced her awkwardly, unsure what exactly she was talking about, or the proper protocols for comforting crying royalty.

Thankfully she pulled herself together after some effort. “I apologize.” You offered her a handkerchief and she accepted it with gratitude, blowing her nose daintily. She didn’t say another word, instead made her way briskly to the detention level.

It was much nicer than you were expecting. The floor and walls were clean and there were no sounds of tortured anguish echoing down the tiled hall.

She led you past door after door and finally came to a stop outside a nondescript one, identical to all the others.

“He’s inside.” She sniffed slightly. “And he’s awake.” There was a thundering crash against the inside of the door. The Queen didn’t flinch. “He also knows you’re here... He is in human form. His wolf guise is much too sensitive, the unfamiliar scents from our den would drive him mad within hours.”

She produced a heavy skeleton key and released the lock. She stood back and you opened the door, slipping inside. The cell was pitch dark.

“Y/N...” His voice was just as you remembered, though more tired than you had ever heard.

“Luc... are you hurt?” You reached forward blindly, barely able to see his shape in the darkness. His hand caught your own and you sighed at the feel of him.

“Have they harmed you?” He asked, voice quiet yet piercing in the inky cell.

“No, they’ve been the picture of polite. Have they hurt you? They think you killed those men, Luc...”

“I’ve killed no human.” He said, his tone firm in its conviction. “When I get hungry I kill animals or monsters, Y/N. No humans.”

His hand left your own. “Cover your eyes.” You put a hand over your eyes and heard a quiet whoosh. When you opened them again you could see by the light of a small oil lamp on an end table next to a simple but comfortable looking cot.

You looked at your previously betrothed, then. He looked older than you expected. More haggard, with several pink new scars mapping his face and arms. His hair was shaggy and his beard uncut. And his eyes... they looked out of place, as if he had borrowed them from the wolf.

“Oh, Luc...” You breathed, reaching out to touch his cheek. His hand stopped yours and he pressed your palm to his chest instead.

“I’m not injured, Y/N. And I’ve killed no man.”

“Let’s get you out of here, then. The Winchesters are with me, and a mountain man named Cas. We could make a break for it...”

“No.” He interrupted. “Even if it weren’t suicide to attempt it, I don’t want out, Y/N. I need to stay just where I am. If I’m locked in here then they’ll find out the truth. I’m not responsible for those killings.”

You grit your teeth when you realized he was right.

 

When you and the Queen got back to the throne room, all four of the men were drinking- Cas and the King swapping battle stories and laughing boisterously, the brothers looking slightly uncomfortable and out of place.

They spotted you and stood, everyone apparently waiting for you to talk first.

“He’s doing well.” You avoided Dean’s betrayed expression, focusing instead on Sam and Castiel. “He’s looking forward to his innocence being proven... although, I have to admit, I dont much like the notion of an innocent man getting killed just to prove he didn’t do it.”

“We’ve been talking about that.” Castiel said. “The King has agreed to help us stake out the surrounding territory. Hopefully we will catch the culprit in the act, if we’re lucky with enough time to stop the murder.”

 

You went back to Castiel’s cabin to bunk for a few nights and wait for the moon to ripen. Dean refused to talk to you or Sam for the whole first day, so the next morning you cornered him in the paddock where he was brushing Baby.

“Dean, this is ridiculous. You can’t ignore us forever. Especially not with this hunt coming up.”

“You should have told me. I would have understood.” He said without looking at you.

You shuffled your feet, feeling a bit sick to your stomach. “I figured it was Sam’s secret to tell. Luc has been protecting me, Dean. He’s never hurt me.”

“I thought he was dead...” Dean said quietly. “If I had known your fiancé was still around I wouldnt have... I never would have...”

You kept your quiet, mostly because you were confused. Dean hadnt done anything, far as you could tell. He had come over to your home a few times and you showed him how to bake pies. He had got a bit playful at one point. You could have sworn he was going to kiss you... you half wished he would have.

But before you could think much more on it he had turned from the horses and walked back inside.

 

After your conversation in the paddock, thank goodness, Dean had seemed to mostly forgive you and Sam. On the night of the full moon all four of you got geared up and headed out, closer to the were’s territory to meet up with the King and Nicodemus.

After joining the others you all hiked for hours, following both the were’s senses and Cas’ skill. At some point you and Sam ended up in the back, following the sounds of the others’ quiet footsteps.

“Y/N...”

“Not now, Sam...” You were putting all of your focus on trying to see your way by moonlight and not tripping on a root or a rock and breaking your damn neck.

“Please, just talk to me. I need to know where your head is tonight.”

You stopped, your mouth open and your mind racing. There was a scream in the distance and your mouth closed with a snap, your eyes going straight to Sam’s.

“My only concern tonight is saving an innocent man. Hopefully two.” With that, you and Sam both began to run.

 

You didn’t have to go far before you were in the thick of it. Nicodemus was half in were form, locked jaw-to-jaw with another, bigger were in full wolf form. The King was lying motionless. Dean was reloading the Colt as another were stalked toward him and Cas was attempting to staunch the blood flowing from a human’s gut-wound.

You didn’t think. You didn’t flinch. One of your knives appeared in your hand and you put it straight through the throat of the wolf stalking Dean, another one soon following, finding purchase in the back of the one fighting Nicodemus.

You ran to the King, cradling his head gently on your lap. Nico came to you, mouth bleeding, sniffing at his King.

“He’s unconscious, though his heart is strong. He will live.” He said, voice still a strained growl even though his body had mostly transitioned back.

“He won’t, unfortunately.” Cas said, pressing the mauled human’s eyes closed gently. 

There was a gurgling sound and a whimper. You looked up to see Sam with his knee in the back of a young adult man in human form, flat on his stomach with a bleeding throat, Dean holding another young man in an unrelenting armlock. Both men’s eyes were glowing gold.

The weres. The killers.

Nicodemus snarled and snapped at them. “I should kill you now.” He moved his body between them and his King. “These are my princes.” He introduced them to the group. “They’re his sons.”

 

You politely refused the invitation to be witness to the execution of the traitor princes. The brothers had just come of age and they had believed they could get away with killing humans because they were royalty. They were wrong.

The queen had suspected and when her suspicions had finally been confirmed she had no more tears left. As her husband lay recovering she sentenced her sons herself. They were to be torn apart. Eaten alive by the rest of the pack.

Your fiancé was immediately released, with full apologies, supplies and a promise of safe harbor whenever he might find himself in the were’s territory.

He was preparing to shift, to go back into the wilds, to hunt monsters. You were watching him pack and put on a bag he could carry in wolf form, preparing to say goodbye.

He refused to look at you and it was driving you insane.

“Luc... please talk to me.”

He finally stopped fiddling with his pack, bringing his impossibly blue eyes to meet yours. His carefully blank countenance broke a fraction. He stepped close to you and gently stroked the ring you wore around your neck.

“Y/N...” He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to your own.

You did your very best to stay strong. For some reason you felt your heart wanting to break.

“Things have changed. Everything has changed.” He whispered, cutting off your dissent with one finger soft on your mouth. “I will never leave you. I can’t, honey. I’m yours.” He kissed you then, brief and light. “But I can’t be with you, either. You have to let me go.”

A tear ran down your cheek then and you weren’t entirely sure which of you it belonged to. And then his touch was gone, and when you opened your eyes you saw the barest glimpse of a wolf, s slight limp in his back leg, racing his way into the trees.


End file.
